Network connectivity system and method

ABSTRACT

A method of configuring an electronic device for communications with a communications network includes establishing a wireless communications link between a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first electronic device has saved thereon a set of network parameters for enabling communications between the first electronic device and the communications network. The method also includes communicating the set of network parameters to the second electronic device, retaining the set of network parameters on the second electronic device, and establishing a communications link between the second electronic device and the communications network by applying settings to the second electronic device. The settings are based on the network parameters.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/998,108, filed on Nov. 30, 2001, entitled NETWORK CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMAND METHOD, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to systems and methods for connecting wirelesselectronic devices to communication networks. In particular, theinvention relates to systems and methods used for connecting wirelesselectronic devices to communications networks using settings from anintermediary device already connected to the network.

As wireless network technologies are becoming increasingly important,especially in wireless local area networks (WLANs), it is also becomingincreasingly important that electronic devices have methods whichautomatically configure the devices for communicating with thecommunications network.

Conventionally, when an electronic device needs to “talk” (connect) to acommunications network, a number of setting adjustments may need to bemade before the connection may be established and the communication maybegin. For example, the type of communications scheme may need to beset, is it a serial communications (8- or 16-bit), a parallelcommunications channel, etc. Further, the type of communicationsprotocol being used must be set appropriately. For example, a handheldcomputer device having an IEEE 802.11 transceiver and attempting tocommunicate with a fixed communications network through an access pointmay need to have settings configured to communicate with the accesspoint. If, however, it is the first time that the handheld computer hasencountered the access point, proper settings may need to be establishedto communicate with the access point. In conventional methods, a usermay need to manually configure the device for communicating with theaccess point, or the user may need to download information prior to theencounter with the access point to adjust such settings.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for establishingcommunications with the communications network by providing access tocommunications settings for a portable electronic device. Further, thereis need for a system and method of using an intermediary electronicdevice for providing setting adjustments to a device which permitscommunication with a communications network.

It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that providesone or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features andadvantage will be made apparent from the present specification. Theteachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within thescope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish oneor more of the above-mentioned needs.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method ofconfiguring an electronic device for communications with acommunications network. The method includes establishing a wirelesscommunications link between a first electronic device and a secondelectronic device. The first electronic device has saved thereon a setof network parameters for enabling communications between the firstelectronic device and the communications network. The method alsoincludes communicating the set of network parameters to the secondelectronic device. Further, the method includes retaining the set ofnetwork parameters on the second electronic device. Further still, themethod includes establishing a communications link between the secondelectronic device and the communications network by applying settings tothe second electronic device, the settings based on the networkparameters.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to acommunications system. The communications system includes acommunications network including at least one wireless access point. Thecommunications system also includes a first electronic device havingnetwork parameters enabling communications between the first electronicdevice and the communication network. The first electronic deviceincludes a first wireless transceiver. The communications system furtherincludes a second electronic device having a first set of logic runningthereon and a second wireless transceiver. The first set of logicincludes functionality to communicate with the first electronic devicebetween the first and second wireless transceivers and the first set oflogic includes functionality to receive the network parameters from thefirst electronic device. Further still, the communications systemincludes a second set of logic, providing settings on the secondelectronic device based on the network parameters and establishingcommunications between the second electronic device and the network.

Still another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to ahandheld computer. The handheld computer includes a processor, a memorycoupled to the processor, a transceiver coupled to the processor, and atleast one program stored in the memory and running on the processor, theprogram includes logic to receive settings from an intermediary devicevia the transceiver. The settings are used for the intermediary deviceto connect to a communications network, and the at least one programincludes logic to connect to the communications network by using thesettings.

Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features andcombination of features as may be generally recited in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more fully understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications network including awireless access point with which portable electronic devicescommunicate;

FIG. 2 is a process diagram depicting steps for establishingcommunications with a communications network; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a handheld computer configured to receivenetwork settings from an intermediary device and communicate with anetwork.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a communications system 100 is depicted.Communications system 100 includes a communications network 110 whichmay be any of a variety of communications networks including, but notlimited to, local area networks (LANs), intranets, extranets, theinternet, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, communications network 110includes a wireless access point 120 for communicating with wirelessand/or portable devices. Access point 120 may be provided to allowaccess using any of a variety of hardware and software protocolsincluding, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11 shared wireless accessprotocol (SWAP), Bluetooth, etc. Further, in an exemplary embodiment aportable electronic device 130 includes a wireless transceiver forconnecting to access point 120 via a wireless link 135.

Initially, device 130 includes a plurality of hardware and/or softwaresettings to enable communications with access point 120. Settings fordevice 130 may have been set manually, or may have been setautomatically via a plurality of methods, including the method of thisinvention. However, in the exemplary arrangement depicted in FIG. 1,device 130 acts as an intermediary device that is used to set up asecond portable electronic device 140 for communicating with accesspoint 120 over a wireless link 145.

In an exemplary embodiment, device 140 encounters access point 120;however, device 140 has no knowledge of how to communicate with accesspoint 120 i.e., device 120 is unaware of what communications settings touse. Device 140, however, does know how to communicate with device 130,for any of a variety of reasons including device 130 is a recognizeddevice to device 140, device 130 and 140 are utilizing self-configuringwireless devices such as, but not limited to, Bluetooth devices, whichenable automated communications to be established between device 130 anddevice 140, and/or device 130 and device 140 are similar devices havingidentical hardware and software, only differing in, for example, theirmobile identification or address. In such a case, device 140 has aprogram running thereon to receive settings for enabling communicationswith access point 120. The program running on device 140 receivesinformation, including device settings from device 130 over acommunications link 150. The information and settings received by device140 are then used to configure device 140 to communicate with accesspoint 120 over wireless link 145. Accordingly, by receivingconfiguration information directly from device 130, with which device140 is able to communicate, device 140 is not required to be separatelyconfigured either manually or automatically to enable communicationswith access point 120.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary process 200 for establishingcommunications between a device, such as device 140, and an accesspoint, such as access point 120, is depicted. A first set of networkparameters are configured on a first electronic device, such as device130, to enable communications with a communications network (step 210)(via an access point, such as access point 120). Once device 130 hasappropriate network parameters configured thereon, device 130 may act asan intermediary device for devices which encounter or come incommunication with device 130. As device 140 comes in communication withdevice 130, a wireless communications link may be established betweendevice 130 and device 140 (step 220). In an alternative embodimentdevice, 130 and device 140 may have any of a variety of communicationslinks including, but not limited to, wired links, radio frequency links,infrared links, ultrasonic links, etc. Once communication is establishedbetween device 130 and device 140, a set of network parameters iscommunicated to device 140 (step 230). Once the network parameters arereceived by device 140, the network parameters are retained on device140 by storing the network parameters on a storage device (memory, disk,etc.) (step 240). Having retained the network parameters on device 140,device 140 may then be configured to establish a communications linkbetween device 140 and access point 120 by applying the settings todevice 140 appropriately, those settings being based on the networkparameters received from device 130 (step 250).

Referring now to FIG. 3, a handheld computer 300 is depicted. Handheldcomputer 300 is configured to receive network settings from anintermediary electronic device having a wireless network connection.Further, handheld computer 300 is also configured to communicate withcommunications network 110 once appropriately configured, based on thenetwork settings received. Handheld computer 300 includes a transceiver310, a processor 320 coupled to transceiver 310, a memory 330 coupled toprocessor 320, and a display 350 coupled to processor 320. In anexemplary embodiment, memory 330 includes, among other software, aprogram 340 that is configured to receive network settings from anintermediary device. Program 340 may further include logic steps whichautomatically configure hardware and software settings in handheldcomputer 300 to communicate with network access point 120.

In general, it may be primarily useful to use the invention discussedabove and below with IEEE 802.11 access points which require that thedevice communicating with the access point be properly configured priorto encountering the access point. However, it may be contemplated thathandheld computer 300, or other electronic device 140, which maycommunicate with a Bluetooth access point 120 via a Bluetooth receiver,require unique parameter settings to communicate properly withcommunications network 110 even though the Bluetooth specification orother communications protocol specifications may enable someself-configuring or automatic configuration of the portable device uponencountering access point 120. Thus, although such automatic orpartially automatic configuration may be possible, the functionality ofthe claimed and disclosed invention may still be equally applicable anduseful to such situations.

While the detailed drawings, specific examples and particularformulations given describe preferred and exemplary embodiments, theyserve the purpose of illustration only. The inventions disclosed are notlimited to the specific forms shown. For example, the methods may beperformed in any of a variety of sequence of steps. The hardware andsoftware configurations shown and described may differ depending on thechosen performance characteristics and physical characteristics of thecomputing devices. For example, the type of computing device,communications networks, or processor used may differ. The systems andmethods depicted and described are not limited to the precise detailsand conditions disclosed. Furthermore, other substitutions,modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design,operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodimentswithout departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

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 21. An electronic device, comprising: a transceiver; and aprocessor configured to receive settings from a second electronic devicevia the transceiver, the settings for use by the second device toconnect to a communications network, the processor configured to connectto the communications network using the settings.
 22. The electronicdevice of claim 21, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the transceiver isconfigured to communicate over a wireless local area network.
 24. Theelectronic device of claim 21, wherein the transceiver is an infraredtransceiver.
 25. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising asecond transceiver, wherein the second transceiver is configured tocommunicate with the communications network.
 26. The electronic deviceof claim 21, wherein the transceiver is selected from the groupconsisting of an infrared transceiver and a Bluetooth transceiver, andthe second transceiver is configured to communicate over a wirelesslocal area network.
 27. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein theelectronic device is a portable device.
 28. The electronic device ofclaim 21, wherein the electronic device is a handheld device.
 29. Theelectronic device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured toreceive settings from the second electronic device via a wired link. 30.An electronic device, comprising: a transceiver; and a processorconfigured to connect to a communications network using a plurality ofsettings and to transmit the settings to a second electronic device viathe transceiver.
 31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein thetransceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.
 32. The electronic device ofclaim 30, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate over awireless local area network.
 33. The electronic device of claim 30,wherein the transceiver is an infrared transceiver.
 34. The electronicdevice of claim 30, further comprising a second transceiver, wherein thesecond transceiver is configured to communicate with the communicationsnetwork.
 35. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the transceiveris selected from the group consisting of an infrared transceiver and aBluetooth transceiver, and the second transceiver is configured tocommunicate over a wireless local area network.
 36. The electronicdevice of claim 30, wherein the electronic device is a portable device.37. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the electronic device isa handheld device.
 38. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein theprocessor is configured to transmit the settings to a second electronicdevice via a wired link.
 39. An electronic device, comprising aprocessor configured to receive manual settings for at least one ofhardware and software settings for the electronic device to enablecommunications with a wireless access point and to send the at least oneof hardware and software settings to a second electronic device via acommunications link.
 40. The electronic device of claim 39, wherein theelectronic device is a handheld device and the at least one of hardwareand software settings are for use with an EEE 802.11 communicationsnetwork.